Corruption Reigns at Batasan

Last Monday Aug 6,
during the RH blitzkrieg at the Batasan, Rep Toby Tiangco appealed that when the time for RH Bill voting comes, every congressman should explain his/her vote. That was Tiangco’s motion for reconsideration for Nominal Voting. Nominal voting will make loud and clear to the Filipino People who voted for RH and why they voted for RH.

The house rules say that motions for reconsideration should be resolved within 24 hours.

HOWEVER, on Tuesday Aug 7,
sessions were suspended due to an Act of God — ie, the torrential rains and floods that hit Luzon, including Quezon City. The Speaker also announced that sessions were to be suspended on Wednesday Aug 8, to allow congressmen to attend to flood rescue and relief operations.

NEVERTHELESS, on Wednesday Aug 8, three, repeat, THREE congressmen appeared in the session hall and held a surprise “open-close” session at the Batasan: The three were Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte, Majority Leader Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales, and Rep. Florencio “Bem” Noel (An Waray).

During that quickie “trilateral” session, the three decided ON THEIR OWN that Rep. Toby Tiangco’s earlier motion for nominal voting is no longer valid.

It means that when the time comes to railroad the vote on the RH Bill, congressmen will NOT be obliged to explain their votes. They can resort to secret balloting or show of hands, or the more anonymous viva voce.

And that’s how, while the country was drowning, the three stooges killed the motion for nominal voting.

So, what next? The next step is the Period of Amendments.
This time, with an all-star comedy cast. Their script calls for amendment by substitute bill, instead of line-by-line deliberations wherein every amendment would require a vote. They will vote instead on the “packaged” substitute bill (which I suspect is being crafted with the help of some dissenting clergymen), and that would bring the second reading to a close.

Ten minutes after closing the second reading, they will call for a vote on third reading, railroad it in the same manner, and the RH Bill would have passed in the Lower House. It is all supposed to happen very fast, unless there is another Act of God.